The court heard King, who had a triple bypass in 2013, shot his wife and then put the 1934 Enfield revolver to his head on December 28 - but could not pull the trigger.

Although she had suffered with dementia for two years Mrs King was still able to make simple choices and looked forward to him visiting her.

The "devoted couple" spent Christmas together in her care home, court toldCredit:
EAST NEWS PRESS AGENCY

The "devoted couple" spent Christmas together in her care home after King asked to spend a week in the care home with his wife, who was doubley incontenent and struggled to hold conversations.

King took a taxi to the bungalow they used to share on Boxing Day and picked up a Tesco 'bag for life' with the antique revolver wrapped in a feather duster and stashed it in his room.

Just two days later after the couple enjoyed breakfast King would shoot his wife with the gun he found when he cleared out his father-in-laws house.

It was then King pulled out his father-in-law's service revolver from the hessian bag and fired once into his wife's right eye at point blank range as she sat in her wheelchair.

Two elderly residents were sitting in the lounge at the time of the killing.

There can be no doubt that prior to the killing Mr and Mrs King had been a devoted coupleProsecutor Andrew Jackson

The court heard he was then seen spotted walking through the halls wielding the firearm and said "I have just shot my wife, she has suffered a lot".

And then it is alleged he put the gun to his right temple but said "I can't do it, I can't pull the trigger".

Julie Curtis care home manager then bravely walked towards him and managed to disarm him and called the cops.

Recalling the aftermath of the shooting she said: "I looked up there was decorations, hundreds and hundreds of Christmas decorations and there was Ron with a gun, for a split second I thought he was joking.

"But that quickly changed and I realised very quickly it wasn't a joke. "He was shaking head to foot, I have never seen anyone shaking so much.

"He said 'I can't pull the trigger, I can't pull the trigger' then he mumbled 'I have killed my wife'.

"I remember thinking 'if you don't get this right, it is going to go terribly wrong."

And added: "When he heard me asking for an ambulance, he said she's dead isn't she. "He said 'She's had enough, she has had enough, she doesn't want to be here'."

Mr and Mrs King had been married for 50 yearsCredit:
EAST NEWS PRESS AGENCY

It was only after Mr King was discovered with the gun to his head that his wife's body was found by staff. In police interview he admitted killing her in the lounge of the 57-bed care home.

King today appeared in the dock of court room seven in Chelmsford Crown Court at the start of his trial.

Sitting in a wheelchair and clad in a blue T-shirt King - who also wore thick black glasses - had to wear a hearing aid to understand proceedings and appeared to shake as the jury were sworn in.

His barrister Patrick Upward QC had to sit next to the pensioner as prosecutor Andrew Jackson, opened the case.

Her mental state deteriorated to the point that she became a resident in March of 2015 and he moved in with her.

Many people have to and do cope the consequences of a loved one suffering from dementiaProsecutor Andrew Jackson

But after just two days Mr King moved out and said "it wasn't for him", but in December 2015 he asked to spend a week in the care home to be with his wife Her condition worsened until she could get irrationally "aggressive" and was in no condition to "enter into what is commonly known as a suicide pact".

He said: "On the morning of Monday December 28 last year, 2015 this defendant Ronald King, now 87 years old shot dead his 81-year-old wife Rita.

"He did this in the care home in Walton-on-the-Naze where she was a resident, she had been a resident there because of dementia from which she had suffered for about two years.

"Ronald King admitted that he shot his wife dead, there is no dispute about that.

"In a taped interview in the presence of an independent person he admitted to police that he did that.

"The prosecution puts forward that this amounts to the offence of murder." He added: "This is a extremely sad and tragic case.

"As you will hear, at the time of Rita King's death she and Mr King had been married for 50 years, they had no children and they had spent their married life in Ilford, in Essex until 2012.

"Then they moved into a bungalow in Walton-on-the-Naze.

"It wasn't long until they moved to Walton-on-the-Naze that the first signs of Mrs King's dementia, began to be seen."

"There can be no doubt that prior to the killing Mr and Mrs King had been a devoted couple.

"I dare say that some of you may have had some experience of close relations or friends who have had suffered or are suffering from dementia.

"So you will be aware of the great distress and sadness that the illness can cause to the mind of the sufferer but those who have to cope with it."

Watch | Ronald King appears in court charged with the murder of his wife at her care home

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And continued: "He has been charged with murder of his wife to who he was devoted to for many years, however Mrs King was being cared for and looked after by the staff of De La Mer House.

"It is a terrible tragedy since even though although she suffered from dementia for a little over two years she still knew and recognised her husband and looked forward to his visits, that made her happy.

"She was able to make to simple choices and her life was ended prematurely.

"Many people have to and do cope the consequences of a loved one suffering from dementia. People express this by loving and caring and by expressing these emotions, whether that is at home or in a care home.

"Tragically say the prosecution that Mr Ronald King took a different and wholly unlawful approach to take his wife's live at a time when she looked forward to seeing him."

King was originally from from North-east London before moving to Walton-on-the-Naze with his wife. The couple had no children but King was one of 15 siblings.

King denies murder but admitted possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition. The case, which is expected to finish next week, continues.